Single AF Cocktails: Drinks for Bad B*tches

by Ariana Madix

Celebrate reality television star and beloved bartender Ariana Madix’s journey from heartbreak to empowerment with 60 high-drama cocktails that are as strong and inspiring as she is.
 
When Ariana Madix famously discovered her partner was unfaithful, the incident—known as Scandoval—captivated audiences worldwide. She has now reclaimed her power, channeling her pain into a resounding statement of strength and resilience in Single AF Cocktails , a collection of alluring drinks that follow the trajectory of a relationship that starts beautifully but ends in disaster.
 
The newly solo Ariana serves up her own recipes and perspective in a unique exploration of the stages of a doomed relationship. In her own words, Ariana takes back the narrative of her very public breakup while inspiring others to find inner strength in their own troubles. Each drink tells part of the story from her point of view, from when she first met her ex, through the insidious affair and its painful aftermath, and to her present state, coming out the other side, stronger than before.
 
Cleverly categorized into relationship-inspired sections—Honeymoon Phase, Betrayal, Devastation, Resilience, and Ad Astra— Single AF Cocktails offers a range of boozy concoctions for whatever your mood, from when you feel like burning it all down to when it’s time to rally your ride-or-die squad. You’ll find recipes like Rumors, with dark crème de cassis that floats on top of the drink before bleeding into the spirits below, the way lies may find their way into your relationship, or We Ride at Dawn, a big, bold mezcal margarita that’s equal parts power and healing.
 
Full of stunning, powerful photography and never-before-told stories, Single AF Cocktails is a singular experience for the reader as they ride the rollercoaster of Ariana’s story alongside her. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer to Ariana’s world, Single AF Cocktails promises a captivating and cathartic experience for all.

Genres: Nonfiction, Cookbooks, Pop Culture, Memoir, Cocktails, Cooking, Food

176 pages, Hardcover

Published December 5, 2023

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't drink so this review won't be about the drinks...If you don't watch Bravo shows, feel free to skip this review but don't forget to hit that LIKE button.

I love trashy reality shows. I'm not ashamed to enjoy "lowbrow" things. The world is a dirty toilet bowl and we all need something to help us cleanse things. I hadn't watched Vanderpump Rules since season 8. Why???

Tom Sandoval!

I've hated that man since season two and I just couldn't handle him anymore so I started watching Summer House....he then started appearing on there too( this man is my punishment for something). So I started watching Southern Charm and while Sandoval hasn't appeared on there I found a new man to hate Austen. So I started watching Winter House...both Sandoval and Austen appeared on there. So now I'm a back to being a Housewives girlie.

All of this to say that I am a Bravo girlie. Hell my favorite streaming service is Peacock not just for Bravo because they have The Office and my favorite show Grimm. I love Bravo so I think you know just how obsessed I was with #Scandoval.

What is #Scandoval?

On March 3, 2023 news broke that Vanderpump Rules stars Tom Sandoval cheated on his girlfriend of nine years with their mutual friend and co star Rachel Leviss. When I tell you that this news went nuclear that's an understatement. Why was it so big? I have no clue. All I know is that I was going through a rough time and I needed this stupid entertainment. I mean I always knew Tom was garbage but learning that he was a piece of shit really warmed my heart. And who knew Rachel had it in her....Literally 😉.

Ariana Madix had always come across as a normal person so she was kind of boring for a reality star. She seemed like the audience insert to react like we would to this crazy people she's surrounded by. So I think we kinda felt like a friend had been betrayed ( parasocial relationships are real). We all wanted her to win and baby is she ever winning. Getting betrayed by her man and her friend has turned out to be the best thing to ever happen to her. She's been in movies, commercials, Dancing with the Stars, published this book and she will soon be on Broadway. Life is good for Ariana Madix. The new season starts on January 30th and since #Scandoval I've rewatched the whole series and I'm 100% back in( unfortunately Rachel didn't come back. I wanted all the messiness). Some people believe that #Scandoval was made up to boost ratings and what do I say to that???

I don't give a Fuck! It worked I'm back in.

If you drink and wanna try out some cool cocktails, this book is a good choice. I don't drink so I only read it for the dirt. She gives us little bits of information about her relationship with Tom and the aftermath of the scandal. It's not much but I did learn some new things.

Its a cute little book, so pick it up. Also Rachel has a podcast, I'm not listening to it because her voice is grating but I believe in supporting women so if you want to give that a listen....Fuck Tom Sandoval...just not literally..

[Cynthia Corral · Rating 5 out of 5]

It arrived at my doorstep this morning and I've read every word, front to back.
This is Ariana's version of a tell-all and she doesn't mince words - she also shows a lot more kindness than I would or could have. Every cocktail is a small chapter of her relationship with that man, starting from the beginning, and she is very clear about her love for him and how much she loved him and their life. If you followed #Scandoval you might not learn anything new about the breakup, but it is still heartbreaking to read her words put to paper. And also uplifting(!) as she continues to new chapters.
It is also a cocktail book, first and foremost. I have her previous book, Fancy Af Cocktails: Drink Recipes from a Couple of Professional Drinkers, and my family made and served almost every cocktail in it over the Holidays of 2019. That book had that man as a co-author, and this book feels more Ariana. The recipes here are more simple, more elegant, and don't require so many off the wall (#MostExtra) ingredients. I know I can find almost all these ingredients easily, and then she has a section on making the different flavors of syrups - all with easy to come by ingredients. I am going to enjoy drinking my way slowly through this book, with a toast to Ariana for every cocktail.
For some, #Scandoval was an overpublicized mess, for some #Scandoval was pure entertainment, but for many of us #Scandoval was our sister going through an unspeakable betrayal, and we went through Ariana's pain (and rebirth!) with her. I don't care if you think it's silly, this book is great by any measurement and I will treasure my copy. #TeamAriana always.

[Anna Bassett]

Vanderpump Rules made me do it.

[Katarina Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a brilliant and fun way to discuss what happened to her. The stories were good but the main focus was definitely on the cocktails! I love that Ariana included some mocktails in this as well.

I doooo wish there was a section for “basic” cocktails with some simpler ingredients just for girlies like me who don’t have access to all of the fancier ingredients and I’m too lazy to make them myself. 😂

I do want to try some of them though! I’m excited.

[Elizabeth Jorgensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book. Great cocktail ideas. Stunning images. Bravo, Ariana!

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love her, loved this. 🖤

Ariana’s writing is very natural and breezy, and the cocktails mostly sounded yum. Ordinarily, I would have made a few before writing a review, but I haven’t been in a drinking mood at home in a while. I feel like I go into mixology mode during the summer, so we’ll see what I stir or shake up this season. She uses a Mexican corn liquor in a few drinks and I am curious about that one.

Ariana calls this her version of a breakup album, and that is an apt description. She takes you through the entire relationship and its ups and downs through her cocktail recipes and their head notes, which was fun and easily digestible. Some interesting behind-the-scenes insights as well.

Maybe I can make something for the final reunion ep next week. 🍸

[Taylor Tetreau]

finally binged Vanderpump Rules earlier this year and that show is a Great American Novel and I am being SO serious so YES I waited a month for my hold on Libby to come through only to skim this thing in twenty minutes. Still counts! #TeamAriana! My favorite part was when she acted like adding Pedialyte mix to a hard seltzer (???) was a cocktail recipe! Sure queen you've been through enough

[Tara Leimkuehler]

Just based on the title I kind of expected it to be more about her but it focused a lot more on Tom and the affair. I would have liked it to have been more about Ariana.

[Elma Maksumic · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than just cocktails, Ariana’s side of the story told in a very unique way

[Kayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

day one ariana stan and here for alllll the tea

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet, extremely aesthetically pleasing artwork/stylization, and quite tempting drink recipes.

I wish we got more from her though — almost every snippet we got was something we’ve heard before in podcasts, interviews, etc. I loved it from start to finish though and the entire look & feel (and drinks ofc!) were on POINT. As a nosey / overly curious person, I wish we got more in depth thoughts/feelings/stories about the breakup we haven’t heard before though.

Still so impressed and enjoyed the book (and can’t wait to enjoy the cocktails soon enough as well).

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got the notification that this was available on Libby and sprinted to my iPad this morning so I could read all of the stories she included before every recipe. Short and sweet! Honestly I could have used a little more of what her life is like now, and maybe a bit more of her pre-VPR days, but it was a chronological retelling of her relationship pre and post Scandoval, so I get why that was the main focus narratively.

[Nicki Escudero · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Single AF Cocktails: Drinks for Bad B*tches" is a cocktail book with dozens of simple cocktails inspired by author Ariana Madix's past romantic partnership with her "Vanderpump Rules" costar, Tom Sandoval. Sandoval's cheating on Madix was nicknamed "Scandoval" in 2023 and provides lots of inspiration for the book.

The book has stunning photography and clear directions for each recipe. Each cocktail is accompanied by a vignette relating to Madix's relationship, from the honeymoon, sweet stages, to Madix discovering Sandoval's affair with a costar that led to the couple's breakup.

I was a big fan of Madix's first cocktail book, and though I don't currently drink alcohol, I appreciated this one even more because the recipes were even simpler. Compared to the first book ("Fancy AF Cocktails"), which had many recipes with hard-to-find ingredients, most people could easily make most of the cocktails in this book. There are some special ingredients, but if you love playing mixologist, you're sure to find many cocktail recipes you can easily re-create at home.

I enjoyed reading the book for some interesting details on the relationship and how Madix dealt with it, solely from her point-of-view. She compares the cocktail book to a relationship-themed album, like Beyonce's "Lemonade", and shouts out many of her costars and characters people have seen on her reality show.

I'd recommend this book both for wannabe at-home mixologists who are looking for innovative cocktail recipes, as well as fans of the show who want to learn more about Madix. There are even several alcohol-free mocktails in the mix, so there's a little something for everyone.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Ariana, and I love this book.

The pictures are beautiful, whether it is of the drink or of her. The drinks line up really well with what she’s talking about. I thought everything was well written and it was nice little stories of tidbits into her life. I do wish we got a litttleee more of stuff we didn’t know, but it is her private life and it’s not a full on novel, so I wasn’t mad at it.

I hopefully will try to make one of these drinks in the future! Even if I have no skill at it whatsoever.

[Elincia Talvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I have never been much of a fan of Ariana Madix, I have to admit that I thought the concept of this book was creative and unique.

I truly enjoyed how Ariana tied each drink in with her experience through the various parts of her relationship and its disastrous ending. From the drink titles to the ingredients and photographs, I was impressed by her creative expression.

Besides being a creative outlet, Single AF is also a great collection of drink recipes. There are several drinks -both boozy and virgin- that I look forward to trying.

[Kacey]

I can’t rate this book because I don’t drink alcohol. I did go to the book event in NYC tonight though and apparently the ticket included a book copy. So now I own this! I read it in the twenty minutes while waiting for the event to start but I still can’t rate it because I don’t drink alcohol. (I’m aware there’s like two mocktails but like mocktails make even less sense to me than cocktails do. I’m LAZY.)

[Stephanie Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

No notes. Chef's kiss. Perfection.
But seriously, a nice mixture of gossip and cocktails.
There were plenty of non-alcoholic recipes for those of us who don't drink often.
The story-telling parts of this book were surprisingly well written, considering they were just small paragraphs in between cocktail recipes.

[Meghan Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ariana slayed this book! I think this was a great and fun way for her to tell her story. The pictures in this book are so beautiful, both of the drinks and her. I like how she related each drink to certain tidbits of her life and the affair. It had me hating Tom Sandoval so much. I can’t wait to try to make these drinks even though girly seemed to think we are all professional bartenders!

[Brigid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I DEVOURED this book. Read it cover to cover the day I got it.
I was so impressed by the crossover of memoir and cocktail recipes. I wish all memoirs had this innovative format.
Perfect for fans of the show but also anyone who enjoys thoughtful and humourous food writing about tough situations. It is even better than her revenge dress in my opinion!

[Julie Bellamy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously, “reading” this book is different. It’s a cocktail book with some pretty bad ass cocktail recipes that I can’t wait to try out, but there are stories woven in that expand upon the meaning behind each cocktail and what inspired it or what makes them a metaphor for certain parts of #scandoval. For a cocktail book, it’s a 5.

[Cam Pederson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice quick read for the content itself, I love how she refers to this cocktail book as her “breakup album” as the photos and quick blurbs about each drink are pretty stellar. I’m excited to keep this in my “kitchen books” collection as some of these cocktails look really fun to make and the sentiment behind them adds to the fun.

[Ed Baia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very easy to read in one sitting. There is not a lot of new information here if you are a Bravoholic but the drink recipes are really interesting and in a wide variety including some non-alcoholic ones. Ariana does a great job tying the recipes together with the anecdotes she’s tied to them.

[Jenny Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love supporting Ariana Madix! This is for everyone who’s been through a nasty breakup. So, essentially, everyone. My fav cocktail is “Karma Is My Boyfriend”, coz Taylor & the use of the liquor 43. 🥃 Delicious! I can’t wait to try the other recipes

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's weird to read a book full of recipes, but I had to get her side of the story she told with a paragraph for each drink. It took me 20 minutes and it wasn't really new info if you've followed along, but it was pretty and the drinks look good and I love supporting her.

[Marisa Tisdale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received this gem for Christmas since I’m a die hard VPR fan and it did not disappoint. It’s so much more than a cocktail book it’s the story of a relationship from start to demise and I drank it up 😝

Get it queen!

[Kristen Brosch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the storyline woven throughout the book, providing background in addition to drink recipes. All of the drinks sound delicious, but many of them require ingredients that I don’t own and would hate to buy for just the cocktails. These would be good for parties or group hang outs.

[Nadia Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! The narrative in different parts with different themes for the drinks was a genius idea! This is a very gracious retelling of the story and I appreciate Ariana’s ability to go high when done so dirty. Great sequel to the first and waiting for a memoir from Miss Madix.

[Loralei Unrau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ariana drop a memoir PLEASE
Anyways as a huge VPR fan I am absolutely thrilled to see a cocktail book Scandoval hasn’t wormed his way into. And Ive made quite a few of the cocktails in the book and enjoyed them, very good and balanced recipes. But seriously girl drop the memoir!

[Natalie Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best pieces of art ever created! Buying absinthe right now

[Malak · Rating 5 out of 5]

my mother 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭